1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a foldable absorbent pad, and more particularly to a foldable absorbent apparatus designed to apply and maintain a constant pressure to a wound or tooth socket to ameliorate bleeding and to promote healing.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a user's lower set of teeth 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the user has a lower set of teeth 10 having an empty tooth socket 12 where a tooth had been previously extracted. Each tooth 10a is disposed and secured within the user's gums 14 and jaw bone 16. Tooth extractions are performed for a variety of reasons including tooth decay, periodontal disease, or dental trauma. In some cases, teeth 10a are extracted merely to provide space so that the remaining teeth 10a may be straightened.
However, when a tooth 10a is extracted, the exposed tooth socket 12 bleeds continuously for a period of time which puts the user at risk for excessive blood loss and infection. As a result, the user or a medical professional must apply and maintain a constant amount of pressure to the exposed tooth socket 12 for a certain period of time in order to promote clotting to stop the bleeding. However, if a constant amount of pressure is not properly applied, the bleeding may continue, thereby risking the health and well-being of the user.
Conventionally, a piece of gauze or the like is rolled up and forced into the tooth socket 12 and held down by the medical professional to apply constant pressure to the wound. In addition, the user may be required to apply pressure by biting down on the gauze, however, if the user talks or readjusts his teeth 10a, this would reduce the amount of pressure applied to the tooth socket 12, thereby potentially dislodging the blood clot and restarting the bleeding within tooth socket 12. In order to reduce risk to the user, conventional solutions require a medical professional or user (i.e., patient) to manually hold the gauze in place, which often takes a considerable amount of time, and therefore expense.
Thus, what is desired is a foldable absorbent apparatus capable of applying a constant pressure to a wound or tooth socket, without assistance, while at the same time absorbing fluids from the wound to ameliorate bleeding and to promote healing.